Top-class sailing returns
The first steps back to normality are soon to be taken with the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup set to go ahead in Porto Cervo, Italy.
20 August 2020
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As international yachting competition begins a cautious return, the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2020 will mark one of the first competitive gatherings of elite professional sailing talent and cutting-edge yachts.
The 31st edition of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup will be held from Sunday 30 August to Friday 4 September. Rolex will once again continue its sponsorship of one of the most influential events in the sport.
The level of competition is always first class and the race courses offer an unrivalled combination of challenging conditions and scenic backdrops.
Rolex Testimonee and United States sailing legend Paul Cayard recognises these qualities, having competed at the event for more than thirty years. “The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is a great example of how a sponsor and a yacht club can come together, create a long-term relationship and live through all of the evolutions required to remain at the top.
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As sailors, we love coming to compete – the winds, the sea, the spectacular scenery around the Sardinian coast and the organisational capacity of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda make it second to none. The entirety of the package makes it a must-do for the world’s top sailors. It is the best big-boat event on the circuit.”
At the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, the fleet is divided into different categories according to performance type and length. The objective for all highly driven Maxi owners is to emerge victorious against equally skilled and prepared crews in their class.
Another former Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup competitor and Rolex Testimonee, the four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie, highlights the natural fit with Rolex’s values.
“Precision and excellence are core to the overall performance in sailing from a sporting perspective and this is no more so than at the Maxi Yacht Cup.
Ainslie said, “There is a clear and common link with the ideals Rolex stands for.”
The margins between success and failure on the water are very small, and any misjudgement or hesitation is seized upon by determined rivals.
Despite being reduced in number compared to previous years, the provisional entry list for this year’s event makes enticing reading. Watching these imperious and powerful yachts challenge each other in such close quarters, and against a backdrop of narrow passages and rocky outcrops, is a special experience.
Five consecutive days of racing commence on Monday 31 August. As has been the way for the past thirty-five years, and despite the challenging circumstances, the event will provide an outstanding environment for owners and sailors to reconnect with their passion for competition on the water.
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